The Adventures of Spin and Marty
The Adventures of Spin and Marty
| 04 November 1955 (USA)
SEASON & EPISODES
  • 1
  • Reviews
    Mjeteconer Just perfect...
    GarnettTeenage The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.
    Doomtomylo a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
    Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.
    John T. Ryan BRINGING THIS SERIALIZED to television as a segment of the MICKEY MOUSE CLUB'S daily output. The non-cliffhanger serial had one overview introduction and 25 episodes; which meant that it was on our TV screens for 5 whole weeks.THE PRODUCTION FEATURED young 'stars' Tim Considine*(Spin) and David Stollery (Marty) and a team of youthful supporting players. Added to this, we had an ample supply of veteran actors such as: Roy Barcroft, Harry Carey, Jr., J.Pat O'Malley and even 3 Stooges' foil, Emil Sitka!IT WAS CONTINUING dramas like these that gave a variety and balance to Walt Disney's MICKEY MOUSE CLUB and provided relief to the boy viewers to an otherwise seemingly endless parade of song and dance presentations (yuch!!).DURING ITS THREE seasons on ABC, The MICKEY Show always featured similar such serialized series within a series. Some of the others that we recall are two SPIN & MARTY Sequels, CORKY AND WHITE SHADOW (freaturing Mouseketeer, Darlene Gillespie and Buddy Ebsen), THE BOYS OF THE WESTERN SEA (an English-dubbed import) and MOOCHIE & THE DEAD COW (We made that one up. Sorry, Uncle Walt!) CONCERNING THE MAKEUP of this series, it was a natural for the boys and girls seemed to like it too. As the central element of the story is the meshing of two personalities from different backgrounds. Spin, the blue collar kid, natural athlete, born leader and extroverted good guy meets up with Marty, a classic "poor little rich kid", pampered and sheltered, snobbish and a "regular kid wannabee." HOW THEY LEARN from each other is that crux of this series. This important life lesson is presented tastefully and without appearing to be too preachy or educational. Most importantly, this is accomplished without resorting to any "Class Struggle" or any other Marxist principles.ALAS, IF WE could only do it this way today! NOTE: * In addition to his later portrayal of eldest brother, Mike, on MY THREE SONS, Tim Considine had what was perhaps his most visible screen role as the soldier slapped by George C.Scott in PATTON (20th Century-Fox, 1969).
    docmarquis777 With only the fondest of memories do I recall the days of The Mickey Mouse Club. It was a quieter, gentler time which I dearly miss. And what better way to celebrate such a time than with the youthful innocence and vigor of young boys at a summer camp known as The Triple R. Before the DVD's came out I could only vaguely remember bits and pieces of this series. However, now that the DVD's came out last year I have once again been enraptured by the memories of such a wonderful time in my life.In this modern, fast paced, tech-no life that has been thrust upon us all, it's comforting to know that the "Good Old Days" of youth and innocence have not been forgotten, thanks to The Spin and Marty DVD's.I have more than 1,200 movies, television series, documentaries, etc. in my personal collection and Spin and Marty is on my top shelf because it is a Top Rated series. I only hope that they release the other two series that came about because of spin and Marty; The Further Adventures of Spin and Marty, and, The New Adventures of Spin and Marty. If and when they do, I will be amongst the first in line to buy them.One of my favorite characters was "Al" played by Brand Stirling. Does anyone know what became of him or where he is nowadays? It was because of him and other characters that I learned how to ride a horse and to break them and teach them their gaits. Thanks guys! Thanks for the memories and let me know if the other two series come out. "Way out there at the Triple R...Yippie ya, yippee yo!"
    aimless-46 "The Adventures of Spin and Marty" title refers to the first season (1955-56) of the show; the second and third seasons were given a modified title. When originally broadcast the total running time of 275 minutes was broken into 25 episodes and shown as part of the first year "Mickey Mouse Club". The show was broadcast Monday-Friday from 5Pm-6PM. The serials were structured in a mild cliffhanger format with a teaser at the end enticing viewers to watch the next episode for a resolution. When they were shown a few years ago on "Vault Disney" the episodes were paired up to provide a 22-23 minute running time. If you grew up with the original MMC you already know that serials like this were the most anticipated part of the show and that "Spin and Marty" was by far the most popular. The reason for their popularity was no mystery, they were the only kid's shows in those days that featured kids instead of puppets or animation. If you were not around for the "Spin and Marty" phenomenon, think of it as a 1950's version of "The Saddle Club", both featured kids getting to spend all their time with horses. But instead of girls hanging out at the Pine Hollow stables, here it's boys living in bunk houses at "The Triple R", a dude ranch summer camp. And who wouldn't like spending an entire summer at a ranch, riding horses far away from parental supervision? The first season's story was adapted from the novel "Marty Markham" by Lawrence Watkin. The show went rapidly downhill after the first season so it is no great tragedy that only season one is out on DVD. Mostly this was because the writers were never able to duplicate the charm of the first season's premise. But the show also fell victim to the Kevin Corcoran curse. Corcoran was a terminally precocious little actor that Disney tried to make a star by inserting him into this popular show at the start of the second season. Corcoran was an unbearably bad actor and the damage was compounded by Disney's insistence on manipulative showcasing of his terminal cuteness; an especially bad fit for a show whose first season appeal had been its naturalness and the understated performances of the cast. Like "Saddle Club's" first season, it revolves around a new kid who has difficulty fitting in at the ranch. Marty Markham (David Stollery) is an overprotected orphaned rich kid who arrives in his grandmother's chauffeured limousine with his own butler (Perkins-J. Pat O'Malley-who is detailed to help the ranch's cook) and immediately manages to offend all the boys by calling the Triple-R Ranch "a smelly old farm". A rivalry soon develops with Spin Evans (Tim Considine), a popular boy who has to work all year to pay the attendance costs. Marty is afraid of horses but lies about being a polo player. Considine and Stollery are both convincing although Stollery has the more difficult part. The supporting cast of boys have appropriate nicknames; the lazy "Ambitious", the freckled "Speckle" and the chunky "Russell the Muscle". Special effects are a bit weak (like the woodchuck chase scene where you have to accept that a ball of fur pulled though the field on a string is a woodchuck) and the campfire scenes are obvious day for night shooting. Harry Carey Jr. and Roy Barcroft provide sympathetic and concerned authority figures but my favorite is insightful horse trainer Ollie (Leonard Geer) who always seemed to have about nine days worth of stubble and repeatedly said: "Well I'll be a blue-nosed gopher". Predictably Marty learns to love horses and to get along with the other boys. He breaks his arm but Perkins is able to keep the news from his grandmother so that he is not sent home early. There are all the great summer camp elements from bears to ghost stories. The two-disc DVD set has a photo gallery, interviews, and a little feature called "The Return to the Triple-R"; which includes the adult Considine and Stollery visiting the ranch where most of the show was filmed. Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
    carflo Every day when I got out of school, I would race home as fast as possible to get my homework done so that I could sit down watch The Mickey Mouse Club and the serial that ran every day: Spin and Marty.I loved the show. It was about a summer camp for boys that was a ranch. They had horses and swimming and mysteries and Marty, my first real crush. I don't think I would ever want to see any episodes again. Like Nancy Drew books and Hostess Twinkies, some things belong to the magic of the past.
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